Measurement of Nocturnal Scratching in Patients with Pruritus Using a Smartwatch: Initial Clinical Studies with the Itch Tracker App.

Three clinical studies were conducted to test a newly-developed app for smartwatches, which included an algorithm to measure nocturnal scratching using acceleration data. The first study in 5 patients with atopic dermatitis demonstrated high reliability of the app for measurement of scratching compared with video monitoring (positive predictive value 90.2 ± 6.6%, sensitivity 84.6 ± 10.2%, correlation of scratching duration per h r = 0.851-0.901, p < 0.001). The second study in 20 patients with atopic dermatitis and 10 healthy volunteers showed that total scratching duration in patients was significantly longer than in healthy volunteers and correlated positively with Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores. In the third study, conducted in an open-entry manner in which 201 evaluable participants measured nocturnal scratching, those who self-reported itch or pruritic diseases had a significantly longer duration of scratching than those who did not. In conclusion, this app has a high reliability and potential clinical usefulness for measurement of nocturnal scratching.

A randomized, investigator-masked clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo and tar blend 1% shampoo in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

The clinical benefit of currently available tar blend shampoos for the treatment of scalp psoriasis is restricted due to their limited efficacy, low cosmetic appeal and potential for carcinogenicity. This 4-week multicentre, randomized, parallel-group, investigator-masked study included 162 subjects and aimed to compare the efficacy, safety and cosmetic acceptability of clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo versus a currently marketed tar blend 1% shampoo in subjects with moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. Clobetasol propionate shampoo was superior to tar blend shampoo with respect to all efficacy variables tested (p<0.001): Total and Global Severity Score; erythema; plaque thickening; desquamation; pruritus; total scalp area involved; and the subject's global assessment of clinical improvement. Both treatments were safe and well-tolerated. Furthermore, more subjects indicated that clobetasol propionate shampoo was more cosmetically acceptable than tar blend shampoo. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo is a good alternative to tar blend shampoo in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

The use of lymecycline in the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris: a comparison of the efficacy and safety of two dosing regimens.

We compared the efficacy and safety of lymecycline 300 mg od vs lymecycline 150 mg bid or placebo in the treatment of moderate to severe acne. 271 patients received either oral lymecycline 300 mg od + placebo od, lymecycline 150 mg bid, or placebo bid, for 12 weeks. Reduction in inflammatory lesion counts at week 12 was the primary efficacy variable (global improvement was a primary efficacy parameter vs placebo) and safety was assessed by adverse events. Lymecycline 300 mg od was non-inferior to lymecycline 150 mg bid at all time points and superior to placebo throughout the study. Drug-related adverse events were similar for all treatment groups. Lymecycline 300 mg od is as effective and safe as lymecycline 150 mg bid in the treatment of moderate to severe acne. This new, once daily formulation could potentially contribute towards improved compliance rates with oral tetracyclines.

Efficacy and cutaneous safety of adapalene in black patients versus white patients with acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris is the most common dermatologic disorder seen in American black patients (ie, African Americans and African Caribbeans, Fitzgerald skin types IV through VI). Despite its prevalence, there is a lack of data on the effects of treatments, such as the use of topical retinoids and retinoid analogs, in this patient population. Adapalene is a topical retinoid analog that has demonstrated efficacy in the reduction of noninflammatory and inflammatory lesions, along with excellent cutaneous tolerability. Most clinical studies of this agent have involved predominantly white patient populations. This meta-analysis of 5 randomized US and European studies was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adapalene in black versus white patients. The percentage reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions was significantly greater among black patients compared with white patients (P=.012). The percentage reductions in total inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts were similar in the 2 groups (P>.3). There were significantly less erythema and scaling in black patients compared with white patients (P<.001 and P=.026 for worst scores for erythema and scaling, respectively). Although the incidence of dryness was similar in both groups, a smaller percentage of black than white patients had moderate or severe scores for dryness (7% vs 18%, respectively). In summary, adapalene appears to be a viable treatment for black patients with acne vulgaris.